Do you play poker? asks Arjun Rampal. No? Well, then we have to convert you, he laughs over a phone call from Mumbai.

Rampal is partner and brand ambassador for PokerHigh.com, a licensed poker site that is now aiming to raise funds for smaller, deserving charities in India.

There was a big surge in the number of people logging in to play [poker] during lockdown. We thought why not use this skilled game to give back to smaller NGOs that have not been getting recognition, he explains. There are different teams representing the charities and people can decide which one they wish to play for.

The initiative, which Rampal says has been successful, started two months ago when the group began sending food parcels to around two lakh people. This is our third month and we get players from all over India. The winners get to keep what they win. Whatever stake the bank makes goes to the NGOs, he says.

Other than Chennai-based Pudhiya Udhayam, there are also NGOs that serve animals such as CUPA in Bengaluru and Humanity for Animals in Kochi. Human life is important but so are the lives of animals, says Rampal, adding that during phase one they managed to generate 2.11 lakh, of which CUPA received a little over 72,000 (it took care of the feeding of over 150 dogs at the centre for a month) and Pudhiya Udhayam received 1.38 lakh, which took care of dry rations for over 500 families in Chennai.

The actor plays too, as a part of PokerHigh. My game is decent. But there is room for improvement, he laughs. Rampal has used time during lockdown to play a lot more poker. This time has been amazing as it allows you to introspect, pause and have a lot more clarity. Lot of things in life seem unnecessary and you can put them out of your list, he says.

The pandemic, Rampal believes, is a huge wake up call. We have to be far more compassionate and be open to change. Panicking is not going to help. It is important to adapt and adjust. We need to stick with the new norms, maintain social distance, wear a mask. A lot of people are just careless in the way they move around. If the pandemic has not shaken them up, then you should panic, he says.

Lockdown has also affected those in the film industry and although film shoots are yet to resume, Rampal says that it has altogether been a great year for him. I was working on three films and two web series.

This includes The Big Battle of Bhima Koregaon, Aparna Sens The Rapist, an unnamed action film he was shooting for in London, Abbas Mustans Penthouse. He was also set to start shooting for the second season of The Final Call. I was working 350 days of the year but God had other plans. He said go home and spend time with the family, and thats what I am doing with (partner) Gabriella [Demetriades], my daughters Mahikaa, Myra and my son Arik, he adds.

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Arjun Rampal is playing poker to support NGOs - The Hindu